Club's statement on Nikita Kurbanov situation
Today RUSADA published news about a three-month disqualification of forward Nikita Kurbanov for using a prohibited substance out of competition. The period of disqualification, including the temporary suspension, expires on January 19.
Andrey Vatutin, PBC CSKA President:
CSKA has always been and will be an opponent of the use of prohibited substances and condemned all types of their use. For any purpose. To whomever it may concern. We provided RUSADA with full assistance in the investigation. Before receiving the final verdict, we had no right to comment on the situation and discuss possible actions of the club. Today, like everyone else, we saw the official document, and we need time to discuss the situation within the club, with sponsors and owners, and then make an informed decision about Nikita Kurbanov’s future at CSKA.
Nikita is our friend. It's not easy for him right now. He made a mistake, he let down the club, his teammates and the fans, this is a lesson for all basketball players and athletes in general, we condemn him, and for what he did he received a well-deserved punishment. But at the same time, I would like to note that Nikita has been and remains a model of work ethic throughout his impressive career. CSKA teammates over the years, including stars of the EuroLeague and the Russian National Team, always noted his work ethic, professionalism, desire to do his best to win, ability to sacrifice personal ambitions for the sake of the team’s success, and excellent communication skills. Every single CSKA coach was delighted with working with Kurbanov. Nikita is a person you can rely on in the most difficult moments. He is our legend. I have no doubt that what happened will become additional motivation for Nikita to become better and correct his reputation. On the court or off it, it doesn’t matter at the moment. I am sure that over time his name will again be associated with a professional attitude and great success.
